The One
by Mahanny
Summary: Steroline. Stefan's birthday. He realizes Caroline is the one for him.


STEROLINE.

The board house was decorated from top to bottom. Caroline had prepared a surprise birthday party for Stefan and she had asked everyone for help in order to do that. She had invited people who they did not even know, but Caroline always liked to take things to the uppermost level.  
Elena took a shot and handed one to Caroline and Bonnie.

"Stefan is going to kill you" she told Caroline before drinking it in one gulp. Bonnie nodded.  
"He deserves a huge birthday party. He'll love it!" Caroline exclaimed excited.

Elena and Bonnie looked at each other while Caroline took her shot. Actually, she knew that Stefan did not like that kind of parties, but she also knew that it would be the perfect distraction to forget what had happened in recent months. It had been some time since what happened with Damon, Bonnie and Liz, but the memories were still very present. The truth was that Caroline had organized the event to distract herself too. Stefan and she had been recovering their friendship as he had been with her unconditionally.  
The door opened and people stopped talking. Damon dragged Stefan, who was blindfolded. He removed the blindfold and all shouted "surprise". Stefan frowned, watching how people started to dance again.

"Caroline" Damon said "she has been preparing this for a month."

Stefan smiled slightly and nodded. Caroline was there and nothing else mattered. He looked around and watched her talking to Elena and Bonnie, smiling.

"What are you going to give him?" Elena asked her, throwing ice in her glass.  
"He said he didn't want gifts" Caroline replied, rolling her eyes. "But still I've made him a book of photos."  
"I know something he'd like more" Bonnie mumbled. Caroline looked at her with narrowed eyes, knowing what she meant.  
"I'm not going to kiss him, Bonnie" the blonde said, emphasizing the "kiss" word.  
"Who?" Damon asked with a curious look. He had approached them dragging Stefan. Caroline opened her mouth without knowing what to say. Stefan looked at her with a frown, but he had heard the conversation from beginning to end.  
"Feel like dancing?" Elena asked the girls to save the blonde's neck. They went into the crowd while Stefan and Damon followed them with their eyes.  
"What are you waiting for?" Damon asked Stefan.  
"I don't want to overwhelm her. She's been through a lot and…"  
"Don't be an idiot and hurry up or someone will be faster than you. You know what I mean."

Damon took a bottle and took a sip as he went in search of Alaric. Suddenly, a crash and the sound of glass breaking on the dance floor were heard. A girl's hand began to bleed. Caroline caught the scent and went to the girl to help her. She said where the bathroom was with signs and the girl went there. Then, Caroline turned and looked for Stefan, who was leaning against a wall and looked tense.

"You're bored, right?" Caroline asked, approaching him.  
"No, it's not that" Stefan replied with pursed lips.  
"Come with me? I know you didn't want gifts but still I have done something."

Stefan nodded and Caroline started to walk toward the library when she realized after a few seconds that Stefan was not following her. Caroline looked for him but he was gone.

"Is that girl alright?" Elena asked Caroline.  
"Yeah. Have you seen Stefan? He was with me just right now."

Elena shook her head. Caroline frowned and put her hair behind her ear to overhear. "_I will not hurt you. I just want…_". Caroline pursed her lips and ran quickly toward the bathroom. She opened the door and saw the marks under his eyes and his fangs beginning to show as he took the arm of the girl who had cut his hand, watching the blood of it.  
The girl looked terrified. Stefan seemed to be making a great effort to restrain himself and not bite her.

"Stefan!" Caroline called him, closing the door. Stefan raised his gaze to look at her. Caroline was able to see in his eyes the reflection of the battle that he was having inside on him. Stefan grunted and his eyes darkened. Caroline took his hand that was holding the girl's arm and puller it gently. She turned to the girl and took her by the shoulders, looking at her directly. "Go to another bathroom and heal that wound. Don't tell anyone this and forget what has happened."

The girl nodded and left the bathroom. Stefan grunted again and started to follow her, but Caroline pushed him back against the wall.

"You know this is not what you really want, Stefan" Caroline told him, placing her hands on his chest gently. Stefan looked at her, breathing hard. His eyes darkened again when he looked towards the door and sniffed. Caroline grabbed his face with her hands in order to make him look at her and stroked his cheekbones with her fingers.

Stefan closed his eyes tightly, trying to control himself but he did not know what was wrong. He tried to push Caroline's hands away from his face but she did not budge. She moved closer to him.

"Calm down. I'm here, okay?" she whispered. "I'm not going to let the blood control you again."

Stefan looked into her eyes and his breathing was starting to become more regular. He took Caroline's face in his hands and felt very sorry for what he had done, but mostly because she had seen him that way again.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry…"  
"Shh, it's okay."

The fangs disappeared but the darkness of his gaze never extinguished. Caroline stroked his cheek, looking at him tenderly. She got closer to him slowly and kissed him. Stefan tangled his fingers through her hair, pulling her closer to him. Caroline felt how Stefan's body relaxed as he kissed her back, playing with her bottom lip. After a few seconds, Caroline pushed him away gently and looked into his eyes, which had regained its original green colour. Stefan looked at her with a slight smile, but the girl could still watch a glimpse of regret in his eyes.

"I think I've just found out what is the antidote to my ripper side" Stefan said, stroking her cheek with his thumb.  
"Which is…?" Caroline asked with a frown.  
"You."

Caroline smiled at him and he looked at her, entranced. At that moment he realized something he had suspected for a long time. Caroline was the one. She was what he had been seeking for centuries. He had fallen in love with her without realizing it and although he had tried to avoid his feelings to not destroy their friendship, he had not succeeded. It had even been more difficult since Caroline confessed her feelings for him in the hospital. When he looked at her, he could only think that she was what he wanted in his life and he wanted to spend the rest of his eternity with her.

"Come with me. I have to give you your gift and this time you won't get rid of me" Caroline said, taking his hand and pulling from it. Stefan smiled and put no resistance.

Caroline led him to the library and closed the door. Stefan saw the mountain of gifts and packages that were on the table.

"It must be a joke. Why would I want all that?" he asked, pointing at the gifts.  
"Could you at least pretend you care about your friends remembering you and your birthday?" Caroline asked him, glaring at him. Stefan rolled his eyes and sat on one of the couches. The girl took her gift and saw next to him. "Anyway, happy birthday."  
"This wasn't necessary, you know? Besides, you've already given me what I wanted" Stefan told her, starting to tear the paper. Caroline smiled slightly, blushing. Stefan watched the book of photos and opened it. Caroline had already filled it with some pictures but the other half was empty so that he could fill it. He looked into her eyes, returning to realize that she was the most perfect person in the Earth. "I'd like to capture this moment" he said, looking at her. He left the book on his knees and leaned toward her.  
"You're a dork" Caroline said laughing just before Stefan pressed his lips against hers.

Yes, definitely, Caroline was the one.


End file.
